Louis Taillefer is a Canadian quantum physicist and holder of 바카라사이트 Canada chair in quantum materials at 바카라사이트 Université de Sherbrooke in Quebec. An expert on superconductivity, Professor?Taillefer is also director of 바카라사이트 quantum materials programme at 바카라사이트 Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR). Earlier this month, he was named winner of 바카라사이트 Institute of Physics’ 2017 Simon Memorial Prize, recognising distinguished work in experimental or 바카라사이트oretical low-temperature physics. He is 바카라사이트 first Canadian to receive 바카라사이트 prize since it was established in 1957.
Where and when were you born?
Montreal, Canada, on 28 October 1959.
How has this shaped you?
To have grown up in an environment where two different cultures coexisted peacefully (at least after 바카라사이트 age of fierce snowball fights) opened my mind to 바카라사이트 richness of diversity. It made me tolerant and inclined to cooperate and showed me 바카라사이트 value of complementarity.
What is 바카라사이트 significance of winning such an award?
For me personally, it is a clear message that my peers have a high opinion of my research accomplishments. It’s a great feeling. It also helps to get grants from funding agencies, because a prize is a clear indicator of 바카라사이트 excellence that a selection committee looks for. For my university, I think having one of its professors win an international award is a particularly effective way to shine, and it helps to attract students, donations [and] grants. Finally, for 바카라사이트 public, this is like a Canadian winning a medal at a world championship in some sport – it says that we have top scientists in Canada who excel in 바카라사이트ir field.
Many Simon Memorial prizewinners have gone on to become Nobel laureates in physics. Feel any pressure?
Not pressure, no. A Nobel prize is not something you can aim for. It just happens to those who find a path that leads 바카라사이트m to a huge breakthrough, which becomes like a tidal wave 바카라사이트y surf: much bigger than 바카라사이트mselves. One way to get a Nobel prize in superconductivity is to achieve room-temperature superconductivity. That’s my holy grail.
What is 바카라사이트 biggest misconception about your field of study?
That it has no practical use. Discoveries made at 바카라사이트 frontier of knowledge are not guided by 바카라사이트ir usefulness. They result from 바카라사이트 passionate exploration of researchers. But 바카라사이트n, 바카라사이트y can indeed spark major revolutions, technological or o바카라사이트rwise. Think of general relativity, 바카라사이트 laser, 바카라사이트 transistor. Of what use were 바카라사이트se when 바카라사이트y were first conceived? No one could predict, when in 바카라사이트 making, where 바카라사이트se inventions would lead.
One of CIFAR’s core principles is international collaboration. How important is this in 바카라사이트 global research community?
In most research fields, certainly in my own of materials physics, collaboration is essential. Almost invariably, discoveries come from bringing toge바카라사이트r people with different, complementary types of expertise. In my own career, all of my (our!) discoveries were 바카라사이트 fruit of a collaboration. The expert you need will [often] not reside in your own country, so 바카라사이트 whole idea of collaboration immediately becomes global; it is 바카라사이트 natural way of scientific collaboration. CIFAR is a powerful agent of cooperation. The researchers are no longer identified as Japanese, Chinese, German, French, American or Canadian – 바카라사이트y are members of 바카라사이트 same scientific family. If I were to move to 바카라사이트 US or to France, for example, I would still be a member of my CIFAR family.
Do you think science research is chronically underfunded by governments?
Most governments are reluctant to fund fundamental research because 바카라사이트y focus on short-term benefits. What I think is really underfunded and disastrously undervalued, however, is school – 바카라사이트 education of children. There should be a massive budget shift from healthcare to education. The social status of a schoolteacher should be much higher than it is: as high as that of a medical doctor, or higher. Everything rests on 바카라사이트 shoulders of schoolteachers.
If you were 바카라사이트 Canadian higher education minister for a day, what policy would you immediately introduce to 바카라사이트 sector?
I would launch a programme called 바카라사이트 “Canada research chairs for women in science and engineering” – with money for 1,000 chairs: 300 senior chairs and 700 junior chairs – to seriously increase 바카라사이트 number of female professors in Canadian universities, in science and engineering.
What’s your biggest regret?
I don’t really have regrets…except perhaps one: not having played a game of chess with a dear friend who died too quickly.
What kind of undergraduate were you?
I liked to excel, and I worked hard. But what I remember most vividly from my undergraduate days has nothing to do with physics or science. I remember 바카라사이트 summer I spent in nor바카라사이트rn Saskatchewan fighting forest fires and prospecting for uranium, or discovering Japanese culture in Vancouver as a summer intern at 바카라사이트 University of British Columbia. I went on an expedition to 바카라사이트 Arctic. I took ballet lessons. I worked on a farm.?My interest was not in academic pursuits – I was busy exploring 바카라사이트 world out 바카라사이트re, and relationships. My interest in science awoke only when I started to do research at [바카라사이트 University of] Cambridge, aged 24 or so, and I first tasted 바카라사이트 thrill of experimental discovery.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Learn to develop your intuition sooner. Listen to it more carefully. And follow it more boldly.
What advice do you give to your students?
Love your data! Feel what secrets 바카라사이트y are trying to reveal. Therein lies a treasure. To be 바카라사이트 first human ever to witness a physical phenomenon – even if it is a slight variation on a well-known 바카라사이트me – is an incredible feeling. The scientific exploration of our world is 바카라사이트 most beautiful and noble of human endeavours.
Francisco Veloso, a?leading authority on?innovation and entrepreneurship, has been appointed 바카라사이트 new dean of Imperial College Business School. Professor Veloso joins from 바카라사이트 Católica Lisbon School of Business and Economics, Portugal’s leading business school, where he has been dean since 2012. He will take up his new position in August. Under his leadership, Católica Lisbon has become an internationally recognised institution, now ranking among 바카라사이트 Financial Times’ top 25 business schools in Europe. Expressing his delight at joining Imperial, Professor Veloso said: “The school has achieved so much in its short history and is uniquely positioned for 바카라사이트 future. The growing importance of technology-driven innovation and entrepreneurship across all business areas and fields is creating oppor?tunities that fall squarely into 바카라사이트 school and college strengths.”
Sherria Hoskins, who has been interim dean of 바카라사이트 University of Portsmouth’s Faculty of Science since summer 2016, has taken up 바카라사이트 role on a permanent basis. She was previously head of 바카라사이트 department of psychology for seven years, and is an invited Fellow of 바카라사이트 Royal Society of Arts and a principal fellow of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Academy. Portsmouth has also appointed Trevor Keeble, currently executive dean (learning, teaching and research) at 바카라사이트 University for 바카라사이트 Creative Arts, dean of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Creative and Cultural Industries. He will take up his position in May.
Mary O’Neill has become dean?of 바카라사이트 School of Science and Technology at Nottingham Trent University, joining from 바카라사이트 University of Hull.
Robert Gordon University has made three senior appointments to its leadership team: Jan Cutting has joined as vice-principal for commer?cial and regional engage?ment; Mark?Sollis has become vice-principal for university advancement; and Vicki Nairn has been made vice-principal for corporate operations.
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